Patrick Dempsey: Racing LeMans

[Modlerbob]

Been watching the first episode on Velocity and I am impressed. I've never watched Grey's Anatomy so I have little preconceptions about his racing aspirations. I think from this first episode that he is the real deal and deserves the comparisons with Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and James Garner.

[dreinecke]

Bob -

First off; I hope you are feeling better!

I've seen some interviews with him and he actually seems to be a real car guy! He knows what he's doing and wasn't cocky at all when I saw him talking. Very decent guy it seems. My daughter says he's "dreamy", whatever that means. Probably handsome like me!

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Well, I won't say it too pointedly, but you would fit in the same cockpit as Dempsey, David. The truth is, nearly all the great LeMans racers have been about that size, including the legendary McNish. That's why Dan Gurney and David Hobbs stuck out like a sore thumb. Its true of great fighter pilots, too. Bob Hoover spoke to a group of P-51 folks at a type safety meeting I went to in Oshkosh, and I was amazed at his size.

Meanwhile, Dempsey was interviewed in the middle of the night a couple of LeMans ago, and even though he was clearly exhausted and giving up his sleep break time for the unexpected interview, he was impressively good natured and genuinely excited about racing. He truly seems to be cut from the same cloth as those Bob named. He's a fine actor, too. "With Honors" was a great movie, and he was an important part of it.

[FootScoot]

I haven't seen any of stuff on Velocity as our stupid cable company makes it by subscription only. You have to purchase a separate entertainment package to get it, just what I want a higher cable bill. If it wasn't for the internet speed on it I would get rid of it. :(

[Cjent]

Agreed. Good driver, great guy. The real deal.

[DaveKennedy]

+1 for what Chuck has said above. I've seen Patrick at the track a few times and you can tell when someone is serious about their job and when they are not. I know one of his co-drivers personally and the impression I get is that we're seeing a real driver (not just someone with enough money to make a dream work for now) but someone who aspires to be great and deserves to be taken seriously.
https://www.facebook.com/DaveMKennedy/m ... 427&type=3
He and Scott Maxwell drove the VisitFlorida.com Mazda last year at The Glen.
It might be easy to feel that he's someone that should be taken lightly because of his acting career and because of his popularity as a goodlooking actor, but I think that does overlook his ability.

[ElSecundo]

He definitely has a serious approach to it, and a real love of motorsports. He's very detemined, and I really respect his effort -- this isn't some passing fad for him. He's only a so-so driver, and at any race, if he's not the most likely guy to spin, he's up near the top. I don't think he's Newman caliber, but he's getting there.

I wonder what this show will do for his sponsorship efforts.

[dreinecke]